All was set for Therold Prudent and the LPM team until late Thursday afternoon when they realized that key players for a planned protest march may have been absent due to persistent, heavy rains earlier that day. The LPM then took the decision to postpone the much-anticipated march until further notice.
Kendal Antoine of Gros Islet was one of the young people who turned up in support of the movement. He told the STAR: “What brought me here is because I just want to march, supporting the Lucian People’s Movement and one of the things I wish to highlight is the fact that I am representing the youth. So many promises have been made to us for decades upon decades and nothing has been happening in our communities.”
He continued, “When it was announced they were going to postpone, I wasn’t surprised because people from outside of Castries, who would have liked to be present, would not have been able to show up. I am ready for the upcoming march. There is much I want to bring to the public’s attention such as children who are not going to school. Sometimes people blame the parents but the truth is some just cannot afford to send their children to school as a result of theV.A.T.; some can’t afford school books. Instead of the government fighting against each other, they should begin to check for the youth. Rather than doing so, they want to raise school fees at schools like Sir Arthur. I think this is something they really need to look into.”
Therold Prudent told the STAR on Thursday that he proceeded to the Vigie playing field where the march was scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. even though en route from Gros Islet several members had agreed for the march to be called off.
“I came to the Vigie playing field out of courtesy to the media and persons who came out,” he said, “and to apologise and explain the reason the event was postponed.”
Prudent and his support team continued toward Castries to further offer an apology to the general public and used the opportunity to encourage them to turn out at the rescheduled march to voice their concerns.
